Janis Ian has one of the most enjoyable voices I can think of.  I like this CD very much.  While the vocals are always soft, the accompanying music is often rough.  I particularly like the song Ruby.  This CD is completely enjoyable. I don't believe Janis Ian knows how to make a bad CD.

A Jazz Band that really rocks?  My problem with this CD is that I can not get up once I put this CD on.  One song leads into another.  This CD is wonderfully recorded and has an astonishing soundstage.  My favorite track is the third track, The Lost Souls (of Southern Louisiana).Today, many preamplifiers don't have phonostages. The assumption is that the primary listening source will be CD. Back in the early 1980s, a company called the ModSquad, introduced a passive preamp called the Line Drive. About this time, I purchased a preamp from PS Audio. The PS Audio had both an active and a passive mode.

I have listened to the Bobs, a group vocal group from San Francisco for many years.  Most of their albums were fun to listen to but a bit too quirky for mainstream.  In fact, I have bought many of The Bobs CDs only to find that I listened to them but once.  The Bobs Sing the Songs of... remains quirky but this time the Bobs are quite listenable.  Track number 5, You Really Got A Hold On Me is a fantastic piece to demonstrate the quality of nOrh Loudspeakers. What I detected was that using the passive mode, some of the life seemed to vanish. The passive mode had very good detail and the noise level was quite impressive. However, something seemed to be missing. This might have been a factor caused by the output stage from my ancient CD player or it could have been too much capacitance from the length of cable I was using. After all, this was about 15 years ago and I am much smarter now.

I highly recommend all three of Lori Lieberman's CDs. Astonishingly well recorded. Lori's voice reminds me of Amanda McBroom.  Her music is very emotional.   If CDs wore out, I would have to replace all my Lori Lieberman CDs.

The Squirrel Nut Zippers  plays Modern Swing. Modern Swing? I find this music very infectious.  Some of the sounds from this album are sharp, brassy and brash.  The energy level is very high.  I love this CD very much. I like track 5, It Ain't You, track 6, Prince Nez and 7, Hell, the most.  Play this one loud.After about four or five years, the Sony started to hum and it started getting noisy. Additionally, there was no way to easily add AC3 to the unit. The problem was that the volume control on the preamp would compete with the volume control on the AC3.

This is the best of the Persuasions early albums.  There isn't a bad track on this CD. I hesitate to recommend track 3, Moonlight and Music because all of the tracks are outstanding. Receivers

Sexy voice, string bass, seductive jazz--this CD has it all.  I can not believe how many times I have listened to this CD.  Each time, it sounds fresh. There is something very personal the way Diane Krall sings.  When I hear her sing "Peel Me a Grape", I feel I have come under her spell and I am ready to "French her a fry" or get her a "bowl full of bon-bons".  CDs like this make the investment in high-end audio worthwhile.

Jennifer Warnes sounds like Linda Ronstadt with taste.  Jennifer Warnes and Leonard Cohen weave a very listenable CD that sparkles with warmth and feeling.   I also recommend Jennifer Warnes' more recent The Hunter. However, I think that The Famous Blue Raincoat is a more coherent offering.

This Clarity Recordings CD is one of the most natural sounding CDs I have heard. It is recorded with two microphones on a two-track recorder.  This CD creates ghost like images in the brain.  This CD is wonderful musically and it will really show off a high quality audio system.

A Jazz album that captures the jazz club feel.  This album has a fantastic version of Fever (track 5).  This CD might be a bit difficult to find so I am providing Cardas Record's address:

Cardas Records 480 Eleventh Street, South East Bondon, OR 97411

An amazing CD. This CD is one of the best CDs for demonstrating a given amplifier's ability to resolve the inner details.  I have been a fan of Taj Majal for years but this album is far more contemporary than his earlier works.

The name "Preservation Jazz Band" has been used to describe a variety of incarnations of venerable New Orleans musicians. The music is easy to listen to.  It is music where the audience and the players are having an equally good time.   It is all fun and all in good humor.  This is a CD that will span generations of listeners.  I don't know how anyone could not enjoy this CD. 

I have spent many years collecting a variety of music. My favorite albums (CDs) are all wonderfully recorded but they are also enjoyable to listen to.  The following list is not comprehensive. I am not listing classical albums here as I believe that people that listen to classical music are already enthusiasts.

I strongly recommend any of the following albums to fully enjoy your audio system.